The member States of the Council of Europe, the other States and the European Community, signatories hereto,

Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members;

Conscious of the importance of strengthening inter­national co-operation in the fight against corruption;

Emphasising that corruption represents a major threat to the rule of law, democracy and human rights, fairness and social justice, hinders economic development and endan­gers the proper and fair functioning of market economies;

Recognising the adverse financial consequences of cor­ruption to individuals, companies and States, as well as in­ternational institutions;

Convinced of the importance for civil law to contribute to the fight against corruption, in particular by enabling per­sons who have suffered damage to receive fair compensa­tion;

Recalling the conclusions and resolutions of the 19th (Malta, 1994), 21st (Czech Republic, 1997) and 22nd (Moldova, 1999) Conferences of the European Ministers of

Justice;

Taking into account the Programme of Action against Corruption adopted by the Committee of Mimisters in November 1996;

Taking also into account the feasibility study on the draw­ing up of a convention on civil remedies for compensation

for damage resulting from acts of corruption, approved by the Committee of Ministers in February 1997;

Having regard to Resolution (97) 24 on the 20 Guiding Principles for the Fight against Corruption, adopted by the Committee of Ministers in November 1997, at its 101st Ses­sion, to Resolution (98) 7 authorising the adoption of the Partial and Enlarged Agreement establishing the "Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)», adopted by the Committee of Ministers in May 1998, at its 102nd Session, and to Resolution (99) 5 establishing the GRECO, adopted on 1st May1999;

Recalling the Final Declaration and the Action Plan adopted by the Heads of State and Government of the member States of the Council or Europe at their 2nd sum­mit in Strasbourg, in October 1997,

Have agreed as follows:

Chapter I - Measures to be taken at national level

Article 1 -Purpose

Each Party shall provide in its internal law for effective remedies for persons who have suffered damage as a result of acts of corruption, to enable them to defend their rights and interests, including the possibility of obtaining compensation for damage.

Article 2 -Definition of corruption

For the purpose of this Convention, «corruption» means requesting, offering, giving or accepting, directly or indi­rectly, a bribe or any other undue advantage or prospect thereof, which distorts the proper performance of any duty or behaviour required of the recipient of the bribe, -the un­due advantage or the prospect thereof.

Article 3 -Compensation for damage

1. Each Party shall provide in its internal law for persons who have suffered damage as a result of corruption to have the right to initiate an action in order to obtain full compen­sation for such damage.

2. Such compensation may cover material damage, loss of profits and non-pecuniary loss.

3589 NEWLINENEWLINE ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΚΥΒΕΡΝΗΣΕΩΣ NEWLINENEWLINE ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑΣ NEWLINENEWLINE ΤΕΥΧΟΣ ΠΡΩΤΟ NEWLINENEWLINE Αρ. Φύλλου 260 NEWLINENEWLINE 12 Νοεμβρίου 2001 NEWLINENEWLINE ΝΟΜΟΣ ΥΠ' ΑΡΙΘ. 2957 Κύρωση της Σύμβασης του Συμβουλίου της Ευρώπης για θέματα Αστικού Δικαίου περί διαφθοράς. NEWLINENEWLINE Ο ΠΡΟΕΔΡΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑΣ NEWLINENEWLINE Εκδίδομε τον ακόλουθο νόμο που ψήφισε η Βουλή: Άρθρο πρώτο NEWLINENEWLINE Κυρώνεται και έχει την ισχύ, που ορίζει το άρθρο 28 παρ.1 του Συντάγματος, η Σύμβαση του Συμβουλίου της Ευρώπης για θέματα Αστικού Δικαίου περί διαφθοράς, που υπογράφηκε στο Στρασβούργο στις 4 Νοεμβρίου 1999, της οποίας το κείμενο σε πρωτότυπο στην αγγλική γλώσσα και σε μετάφραση στην ελληνική έχει ως εξής: NEWLINENEWLINE Preamble NEWLINENEWLINE The member States of the Council of Europe, the other States and the European Community, signatories hereto, NEWLINENEWLINE Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members; NEWLINENEWLINE Conscious of the importance of strengthening inter­national co-operation in the fight against corruption; NEWLINENEWLINE Emphasising that corruption represents a major threat to the rule of law, democracy and human rights, fairness and social justice, hinders economic development and endan­gers the proper and fair functioning of market economies; NEWLINENEWLINE Recognising the adverse financial consequences of cor­ruption to individuals, companies and States, as well as in­ternational institutions; NEWLINENEWLINE Convinced of the importance for civil law to contribute to the fight against corruption, in particular by enabling per­sons who have suffered damage to receive fair compensa­tion; NEWLINENEWLINE Recalling the conclusions and resolutions of the 19th (Malta, 1994), 21st (Czech Republic, 1997) and 22nd (Moldova, 1999) Conferences of the European Ministers of NEWLINENEWLINE Justice; NEWLINENEWLINE Taking into account the Programme of Action against Corruption adopted by the Committee of Mimisters in November 1996; NEWLINENEWLINE Taking also into account the feasibility study on the draw­ing up of a convention on civil remedies for compensation NEWLINENEWLINE for damage resulting from acts of corruption, approved by the Committee of Ministers in February 1997; NEWLINENEWLINE Having regard to Resolution (97) 24 on the 20 Guiding Principles for the Fight against Corruption, adopted by the Committee of Ministers in November 1997, at its 101st Ses­sion, to Resolution (98) 7 authorising the adoption of the Partial and Enlarged Agreement establishing the NEWLINENEWLINEGroup of States against Corruption (GRECO)NEWLINENEWLINE, adopted by the Committee of Ministers in May 1998, at its 102nd Session, and to Resolution (99) 5 establishing the GRECO, adopted on 1st May1999; NEWLINENEWLINE Recalling the Final Declaration and the Action Plan adopted by the Heads of State and Government of the member States of the Council or Europe at their 2nd sum­mit in Strasbourg, in October 1997, NEWLINENEWLINE Have agreed as follows: NEWLINENEWLINE Chapter I - Measures to be taken at national level NEWLINENEWLINE Article 1 -Purpose NEWLINENEWLINE Each Party shall provide in its internal law for effective remedies for persons who have suffered damage as a result of acts of corruption, to enable them to defend their rights and interests, including the possibility of obtaining compensation for damage. NEWLINENEWLINE Article 2 -Definition of corruption NEWLINENEWLINE For the purpose of this Convention, NEWLINENEWLINEcorruptionNEWLINENEWLINE means requesting, offering, giving or accepting, directly or indi­rectly, a bribe or any other undue advantage or prospect thereof, which distorts the proper performance of any duty or behaviour required of the recipient of the bribe, -the un­due advantage or the prospect thereof. NEWLINENEWLINE Article 3 -Compensation for damage NEWLINENEWLINE 1.NEWLINENEWLINEEach Party shall provide in its internal law for persons who have suffered damage as a result of corruption to have the right to initiate an action in order to obtain full compen­sation for such damage. NEWLINENEWLINE 2.NEWLINENEWLINESuch compensation may cover material damage, loss of profits and non-pecuniary loss. NEWLINENEWLINE